7 Kitchen

• Food safety at home6 lessons
• Cooking basics8 lessons

7. Keep food safe, learn a few methods by heart, and plan before you shop.

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the US, and raw meat and poultry can carry germs such as Salmonella and Campylobacter. Colour is not a reliable sign that chicken is cooked; a food thermometer is. Planning saves food too: in the US, an estimated 30% to 40% of the food supply is wasted, much of it in stores and homes.

1. 7.1Keep raw meat sealed on the bottom shelf of the fridge, and cook chicken pieces until a thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part. Health Canada advises 180°F (82°C) for a whole bird.
   7.10 Storing raw meat safely in the fridge7.14 Cooking chicken to a safe temperature
2. 7.2Treat “best before” and “best if used by” dates as quality guides, but follow expiration dates and safe storage times.
   7.11 Reading food date labels
3. 7.3Handle heat and blades with care: set oven racks while the oven is cold, use dry mitts, and curl your fingertips under when you chop.
   7.4 Using an oven safely7.9 Chopping an onion with the claw grip
4. 7.4Get the basics exact: crack eggs on a flat surface into a small bowl, time boiled eggs from when they go into boiling water, and level or weigh what you measure.
   7.2 Cracking an egg cleanly7.6 Boiling an egg to the yolk you want7.3 Following a recipe and measuring accurately
5. 7.5Learn five flexible dinner patterns you can cook from memory.
   7.15 Five dinners you can cook from memory
6. 7.6Plan the week around what you already have, and plan a big meal backwards from the moment you serve.
   7.16 Planning a week of dinners with one shopping trip7.17 Cooking dinner for six, all ready at once
7. 7.7Keep food by the safe rules: cold storage, safe thawing, leftovers within 3 to 4 days.
   7.8 How long is cooked chicken good for in the fridge7.12 How to thaw chicken fast7.5 How to tell if an egg is bad
8. 7.8Cook the staples well and look after your tools.
   7.7 How to cook rice on the stove7.13 How to season cast iron7.1 How to set a table